Mastering the Money Maze provides a solution to the problem that small business leaders are facing – a lack of available business financing and investment. Through this book, businesses will discover what lenders and investors really want, and the steps they can implement to win financing. Financing sources fund well-run businesses, and in this book I will also provide you with the best practices to help you build a superior firm.Specifically, Mastering the Money Maze will help businesses: - Identify a variety of business financing tools that are available. - Evaluate which financing tools are right for each company. - Demystify the process of working successfully with lenders and investors. - Develop a professional and persuasive presentation to lenders and investors. - Present the attractiveness of investing in the business using accurate facts. - Develop a roadmap to achieving significant financial growth.Chapter Summaries

Introduction—Details the issues facing businesses when approaching lenders and investors to obtain business financing. Provides helpful guidance for business leaders to evaluate, select and win the best financing for their companies, and in the process, identify opportunities to grow their businesses and maximize their equity value.Chapter 1 — Creating a Money MindsetUnderstanding what is right for you and your business and the myriad of financing sources available. Details of what lenders and investors want, and strategies for creating winning requests. Treat this as your most important Request for Proposal (RFP).Chapter 2 — Debt Financing and Lending InstitutionsUnderstanding what is debt, the various debt tools, the advantages and disadvantages of debt financing. Description of lending process.Chapter 3 — Equity Funding and InvestorsDescription of equity and the various investors and things to consider in determining if equity is right for your company.Chapter 4 — Is Debt or Equity Right For You?Determining whether debt or equity is best for you, your business and its future. Provides the Business Personality and Financing Alignment Checklist which can help determine whether what you want for you and your business matches what a financing source requires.Chapter 5 — Business Plan EssentialsThe components of a business plan are detailed, as well as the differences between a business plan and a business model.Chapter 6 — Marketing Strategiesand ExecutionMarketing is the key to growing your business. Understanding your target market and ideal customers, determining your unique selling proposition and execution strategies are detailed.Chapter 7 — Relationships Get You to Your Goal FasterHow to build relationships with funding sources are detailed, along with identifying lender and investor requirements and how to compare and evaluate financing sources.Chapter 8 — Secret #1 — Show You Are the "A" TeamFinancing sources fund exceptional management teams. Specific strategies on building ‘A’ teams, advisory committees and boards of directors are provided.Chapter 9 — Secret #2 — The Purpose of Your Request: Show How Your Request Will Make Them MoneyTo improve your chances of success, you need to show how the investment in your business will benefit the funding sources. Different strategies for lenders and investors are detailed.Chapter 10 — Secret #3 — Knowing Industry Trends and Your Business OpportunitiesTo identify your business’s best opportunities you need to understand today’s drivers of change. Methods on how to conduct effective research is presented.Chapter 11 — Secret #4 — Eliminate Concentration and Increase Your Probability of Success The dependence on one or few clients, suppliers or vendors may hurt your chances for winning financing. Funding sources will compare your business to benchmarks from your industry. Chapter 12 — Secret #5 -- A Helpful Dashboard Will Navigate You to SuccessFunding sources are financial experts and their language is financial metrics. This chapter explains the importance of dashboards and the various financials that funding sources want.Chapter 13 — Secret #6 — Increased Profitability Can Be a Positive or a NegativeLenders want to see increasing profitability while investors are more interested in growth. Your profitability strategy will be designed for their requirements. Strategies on goal setting, productivity, client growth and retention, pricing and effective measurement are discussed.Chapter 14 — Secret #7 — Higher Barriers to Entry Means Lower Barriers to FinancingFinancing sources want to know what types of barriers your have established that make it difficult for competitors to take away customers from your business. Specific barriers are identified and discussed, as well as how a company can overcome business barriers.Chapter 15 — Secret #8 — Succession Strategies: Preparing for Disaster Can Help You Win FinancingEffective succession strategies and how to fund them are described. Financing sources want to see that you manage and plan for the future growth of the business in all situations. Chapter 16 — Secret #9 — Maximize Your Credit Score to Capitalize Your Ability to Win FinancingFinancing sources check both personal and business credit. Strategies to improve credit are presented and discussed.Chapter 17 — Secret #10 — Personal Guarantees and CollateralAll funders want to see your "skin in the game." Understanding the risks and negotiating the best terms are presented.Chapter 18 — Getting It All TogetherMethods for preparing for and presenting a superior proposal are outlined. Chapter 19 — Alternative Financing OptionsAn overview of alternative financing tools such as Peer-to-Peer Lending, Crowdfunding, Factoring, and vendor financing is provided.